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Topic Review (Newest First)

05-29-2014 04:47 PM

Merciel

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magwart

I'm *all* for saving shelter dogs. There's a big, big difference in the quality of vet care they receive compared to rescue though--expect significant follow-up vet bills post-adoption with a shelter dog. A $250 rescue adoption fee is a good deal if the rescue fully vets the dogs.

I know a lot of people balk at rescue adoption fees, so I want to use this as an opportunity to try to lay out where they come from. It's usually not a rescue being greedy.

In addition to all the good points that Magwart has made, I want to add two others:

(1) Many shelters get substantial financial support from a city or county government (and sometimes state/federal grants), especially if that's the animal control organization for its area. This allows them to keep adoption fees lower, because the shelter is not solely dependent on donations and adoption fees to stay afloat. Rescues rarely have those extra funding sources, and if they do, they're generally one-time grants that the rescue can't count on getting year after year.

(2) When possible, good rescues will not only invest in vetting for their dogs, but behavioral rehab and training.

For example, here's a video of my current foster dog, Queenie, and where she is today in training:

Queenie has her Novice Trick Dog title. She has been evaluated for basic behavioral issues and (because she's my foster and I'm a nerd like that) sport potential. I've gotten her started on beginner tricks and some sport foundation training, and we've also worked on her house manners and appropriate interactions with different types of people and pets.

If you were paying board-and-train prices for that work, it would cost considerably more than the $300 adoption fee my rescue is asking for her. But the adopter gets all of that free. It doesn't cost anything extra, it's just a bonus that you get for giving a good home to a nice dog.

05-28-2014 01:25 AM

my boy diesel

So anyone who complains about the $275 adoption fee gets rejected. They should go and bully their vet to give them free services or the supermarket to give them groceries at a fraction of the cost. There are plenty of free dogs out there for those whose main focus is a cheap dog.

05-28-2014 12:28 AM

RebelGSD

If I ever end up looking for a dog (they seem to land with me without looking) my focus will be the dog. I would get to know the dog and ask questions about the dog. I am not interested in the previous owner, the shelter or the rescue that cared/s for the dog. I am not interested in marrying the previous owners, rescue, shelter or breeder. If they are nice, great, but to me it is the dog that matters. I could not care less if they got animals from Lebanon or the South, who their donors are, etc. If the rescue is caring and nice and takes in animals with costly medical conditions, I would pay the adoption fee and make an additional donation, especially if the dog i was adopting needed some expensive care. To help them care for future animals. This is what would be important to me. To me their placement rates, how they choose foster homes, their relationships with local veterinarians would not be important.

05-25-2014 11:59 PM

RebelGSD

I think that dogs rescued from Lebanon or similar countries are so rare that an adopter does not really have to worry about it. Usually, shelters that have very low adoption rates are funded by taxpayer dollars. So people don't pay through the adoption fee, but through taxes. I just payed $320 for a spay with bloodwork. $45 for HW test. So anyone who complains about the $275 adoption fee gets rejected. They should go and bully their vet to give them free services or the supermarket to give them groceries at a fraction of the cost. There are plenty of free dogs out there for those whose main focus is a cheap dog.

05-25-2014 05:05 PM

Mary Beth

Quote:

Originally Posted by llombardo

No need, you were correct. I found the adoption paperwork my dad gave me. It is on there, but I was told it wasn't done(I never seen his paperwork before the adoption) so I got it done again. So it looks like he has been tested twice and I wasted my money next time I will request the paperwork In reading his paperwork it looks like he has had 3 rabies shots. On the health certificate from Lebanon it says 7/5/13 and on the other paperwork it states 4/18/13 and 5/7/13. So now I don't know when rabies should be given, he is probably set for life. We couldn't get his rabies certificate because the people at the animal control said the health certificate wasn't signed, well it's a stamp, duh!!

I think the Lebanon date is May 7, 2013 as in most other countries, the day of the week is first then the month then the year. This also could explain that his other paperwork done in the US perhaps, has the date of 5/7/13.

05-25-2014 12:38 AM

llombardo

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifeofRiley

I think they may have confused your question to be one about the administration of HW preventives. Depending on the time of year, that answer will vary. But, the testing of whether or not a dog is HW+ is always done and if the dog does in fact test HW+, treatment is immediate.

But, I am now sufficiently curious to ask the founder of the rescue to learn more about Batman's medical history.

No need, you were correct. I found the adoption paperwork my dad gave me. It is on there, but I was told it wasn't done(I never seen his paperwork before the adoption) so I got it done again. So it looks like he has been tested twice and I wasted my money next time I will request the paperwork In reading his paperwork it looks like he has had 3 rabies shots. On the health certificate from Lebanon it says 7/5/13 and on the other paperwork it states 4/18/13 and 5/7/13. So now I don't know when rabies should be given, he is probably set for life. We couldn't get his rabies certificate because the people at the animal control said the health certificate wasn't signed, well it's a stamp, duh!!

05-25-2014 12:09 AM

LifeofRiley

Quote:

Originally Posted by llombardo

This is how I thought it was. I picked the dog up, they gave me some food and off I went. As an after thought I called and asked about the heartworm. I just assumed it would be done, but I do understand the additional costs involved with it. Its not anywhere on his paperwork either. It's no big deal, I took care of it

I think they may have confused your question to be one about the administration of HW preventives. Depending on the time of year, that answer will vary. But, the testing of whether or not a dog is HW+ is always done and if the dog does in fact test HW+, treatment is immediate.

But, I am now sufficiently curious to ask the founder of the rescue to learn more about Batman's medical history.

05-24-2014 11:19 PM

misslesleedavis1

I was told by dexters vet tech thst they would not even give him his yearly wellness exam until I consented tp HW.

How much are vets charging for HW tests up north??! With no discount at a full-price vet, that's a $25 item here.

$50 at most vets for test. Some will charge a lower fee but then charge an exam fee, which brings it up to the 50 range. Vaccination clinics charge $22. Shelter vets clinics are about 20

05-24-2014 10:44 PM

llombardo

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifeofRiley

Very interesting and not at all consistent with my experience. All of the dogs I have fostered for them have been tested for heartworm prior to placement in the foster home - I know for sure because I have picked up all of my foster dogs at the vet office after their intake exam and have gone over the procedures performed on each dog with the vet prior to me taking the foster dog home. And, I know that they test dogs that are not my foster dogs too as there have been a lot of dogs that come from the points south that have tested positive and are treated prior to adoption by the rescue (not the foster).

This is how I thought it was. I picked the dog up, they gave me some food and off I went. As an after thought I called and asked about the heartworm. I just assumed it would be done, but I do understand the additional costs involved with it. Its not anywhere on his paperwork either. It's no big deal, I took care of it

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